I'll Protect You
by Steadfast-Bright-Star
Summary: Human AU. When an unprovoked attack leaves Raivis too scared to go outside, it takes all his strength and Ivan's love to help him. Oneshot, rated T for moderate violence. My first fanfic, so I hope you like it!


I'll Protect You

It was happening again, like it had every night for almost a month. First the shouts, then the rough hands seizing his phone and bag and plunging deep into his pockets to extract his wallet, then the punch that knocked him to the ground and the kicks and blows that rained down on him as he lay defenceless…

Raivis woke with a start, the dream still playing in his mind. He looked at the glowing hands of his clock. It was 4am, although that didn't matter much. He hadn't gone to work since the attack. Squinting in the dark, he could just about make out the sleeping form of his tall Russian boyfriend, Ivan. He shuffled over to the other side of the bed, trying not to wake him, and curled up beside his reassuringly broad chest. Ivan, despite Raivis's best efforts to stay silent, had woken and comfortingly wrapped an arm around the small Latvian.

'Was it that dream again?' he asked in a voice muffled by sleep. Raivis didn't bother to reply, since he knew Ivan already knew the answer. 'You're shivering again,' he observed, hugging him closer 'sleep now, and we'll talk in the morning.'

…...

_One Month Earlier…_

_Raivis was walking home through the park after a long day at the flower shop where he worked. It was Ivan's birthday and he was bringing home a beautiful potted sunflower as a present. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he retrieved it to see that the message was from Ivan._

'_Will u b home soon, sunflower? xxx' Raivis smiled. 'Sunflower' was Ivan's nickname for him because of his gorgeous blonde hair. He typed a quick reply 'About 10 mins, b-day boy x'. But someone else had spied Raivis's shiny new phone, which his computer nerd friend Eduard had got free from work. That someone – or rather someones, for there were three – slowly advanced from the bushes, tackled the unsuspecting Latvian from behind and knocked him to the ground. He couldn't say for certain how long the attack went on but when it was over, all he could do was lie on the ground, clutching his bruised ribs and sobbing._

_He didn't remember much after that. He knew he'd ended up in hospital but he didn't stay the night as, fortunately, he was not too badly injured. He remembered Ivan's worried face when he arrived to pick him up and he remembered him squeezing his hand as he blubbed out his story to the English policeman with the most spectacular pair of eyebrows Raivis had ever seen._

_His physical injuries were minor, b__ut he had not been able to leave his flat since then. He had tried, but he had imagined attackers everywhere, converging on him from all directions, and he had fled indoors._

…...

Raivis managed to sleep for a few more hours, until he was distracted by Ivan getting up to leave for work. They had settled into a sort of routine of having breakfast together before Ivan headed off. Raivis was worried that Ivan might one day lose his famous temper and berate him for not leaving the flat, for not working, so that Ivan had to do double shifts at the power station to cover the rent. It was then, lying there in bed that Raivis realised that something had to be done. He couldn't live in fear anymore. He didn't want to let his attackers win. He got up and joined Ivan at breakfast.

'Ivan?' he began, shivering as he always did when nervous, 'I've been thinking about… the current state of affairs… And I think that I'll go out today. I don't want to be scared all the time because…' his voice broke and he steeled himself, trying not to cry 'because what those people did to me was wrong, but they don't have to ruin my life anymore. I'm ready to go out.'

Ivan was silent for a minute, stunned by Raivis's sudden change of heart. Then he smiled – not the little half smile that he always wore, but a real, wide one that he only gave to Raivis or his sisters. Raivis realised that he had tears in his eyes. He leaned across the table and kissed him gently, tucking an unruly curl behind one of Raivis's delicate ears. 'My brave little sunflower, always so brave. You know I'll protect you, no matter what.' He stood up and took his beloved's hand. 'Now, where did I leave my scarf?'


End file.
